Nagpur: M/s Cybertech Systems and Software Ltd, a private firm entrusted the job of creating a comprehensive computerized geo-enabled property database to support assessment and consolidation of all revenues for Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), seems to have been playing havoc with the property holders. The property owners were left flabbergasted when the received demand notices with tax catapulted to 3 times and 10 times. The firm was blacklisted by Amravati Municipal Corporation for its shabby state of affairs, it is learnt.

Enraged by the ‘tormenting’ style of functioning, senior Corporator Abha Pande has demanded cancellation of contract of M/s Cybertech Systems and Software Ltd and revaluation of properties in NMC limits. She has warned of an intense agitation if her demand is not met.

According to the Corpotator, after the revaluation by the private firm, NMC issued fresh demand notices and distributed among property holders. The demand mentioned the increased tax manifold. The slum dwellers in Prabhag-21 have been slapped with tax demands of Rs 18,000 to Rs 31,000 as against the previous demands in the range of Rs 800 to Rs 1,000, Pande claimed. She raised this issue with the officers of Property Tax Department of the civic body on Wednesday but the cold response by the Head of the Department left her red-faced.

The senior Corporator visited the areas with the delegates of M/s Cybertech and ensured re-calculation of the property tax of concerned owners. Recalculation of property tax of three slum dwellers revealed that the tax calculations were wrong. The parameters to calculate property tax were wrongly mentioned in their tax details, Pande claimed.

She further stated that M/s Cybertech Systems and Software Ltd was torturing the citizens. Irregularity and violation of norms is rampant. The company is misleading the property owners taking advantage of the fact that they are not educated. All the details collected by the company should be re-verified and its contract should be terminated. The illogical tax demands should be scrapped and relief should be given to the taxpayers, Pande demanded.

Notably, the Chairman of Standing Committee Sandeep Jadhav too received complaints of wrongful tax demands being distributed to citizens. He asked the complainants to submit him copies of old and new tax demands.

For the cash-strapped Nagpur Municipal Corporation, one of the major sources of revenue is its property tax collection. But it simply does not mean that citizens should slapped with tax demands in haphazard manners.